TOP ENGLAND CAPTAINS

Paul Ince and Rio Ferdinand have also captained the side in short spells and Ferdinand was captain going into the last World Cup finals under Fabio Capello - before injury ruled him out. But England have never had an established black captain.

The FA are unlikely to respond directly to Campbell's claim though they believe it to be untrue.

However, it will raise the issue of race once again for English football's governing body, following a week in which the FA disciplinary panel were criticised for accepting that Nicolas Anelka had not intended to be anti-semitic when performing the now infamous 'quenelle' salute after scoring for West Brom against West Ham last December.

The FA have also been criticised for the length of time it took to charge Anelka and for the leniency of a four-game ban incurred by John Terry after an FA disciplinary panel found that he had racially abused Anton Ferdinand.